Owners of a Highland Hotel have spoken of their gratitude as customers dig deep to raise £54,000 to help keep the business afloat.
Dornoch Castle Hotel owners Colin and Roz Thompson made a desperate appeal for assistance last week to help raise £40,000 to safeguard the business’ future.
Following a steep decline in sales, the hoteliers launched a ‘pay it forward’ scheme last Tuesday, giving customers the opportunity to purchase vouchers, redeemable when the hotel reopens.
Within 48 hours of its launch, the couple were stunned to discover they had surpassed their initial target, following an outpouring of support from loyal customers.
Managing Director Colin Thompson said they opted to launch the crowdfunding appeal following a steep decline in revenue due to the lockdown.
He explained: “At Dornoch Castle we watched this unfold with a certain uncomfortable feeling of impending doom.
“The lockdown came the day before Mother’s Day and I could feel the business sliding away for three or four weeks before that.
“In March, I would usually make £100,000 and by point of closure we had only done £44,000.
“You could just see it sliding away. Instead of doing £2,500 to £3,000 a day you were doing £800 a day.”
Like thousands of businesses across the country, the family are awaiting financial support from the government’s CBILS loan system and furlough wages scheme, but they fear delays in obtaining the relevant support.
With the family-run business facing cancellations costing upwards of £70,000, their entire workforce on furlough, and a monthly bill of around £8,000 to stay afloat, they decided to take action launching their three-week initiative.
The Thompsons have now sold £54,040 worth of vouchers, helping them retain their 22-strong workforce currently on furlough.
The delighted hotel owner said the family were overwhelmed by the public’s generosity.
He added: “It has been amazing. Roz and I are humbled and stunned.
“It’s given us choices and comfort and it has underpinned 22 jobs. That’s the key thing.
“I don’t think there was ever a danger of us going bust but we were running out of money and we didn’t have any cash flow.
“As it stands it gives us around five months’ worth of closure money and enough to prime the pumps for getting us reopened again.
“It’s testament to what we do that people have faith to do this.
“I would like to say a massive thank you to everybody. We are absolutely delighted.”
Dornoch councillor Jim McGillivray said: “The Dornoch Castle Hotel is one of Dornoch’s main and finest accommodation providers and I am delighted to see that their crowdfunding appeal has met with such immediate success.
“This support merely highlights the esteem in which the Castle Hotel is held by its many patrons.”
